Kill the Devil
by Daemon of Wrath
Summary: "As far as I know...I am no one. I had no past. No memories. No Identity. Nothing. But from the moment I became aware of myself...I was called one thing: A Devil. After that, I was given new purpose. Something to strive for. Something to take back as rightfully mine."
1. Chapter 1

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **This little ideas has been in my mind for a while…so the both of us decided to make it a reality. This story also has elements from a certain Legend of Heroes game. You'll have to see to find out.**

 **Well…Enjoy…!**

 **"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -Albert Einstein**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Kill the Devil**

 **Kill-Order 0: A Devil in the Snowstorm**

Najenda was never a big fan of snow. In fact, if you were to ask her, she hated it. Ever since her days as a mere cadet in the Empire, she's hated snow. At first, it was a mere dislike for it. She never liked how cold the snow was, nor how it always managed to somehow find it's way into your boots, no matter how well protected you were. However, when she signed up, she truly started to hate it, mostly because of how she and her fellow cadets were forced to train out in the grueling cold by what she referred to this day as the Cold-Hearted Bastard of the West. She still hated his guts, even if he did help her reach to the point where she was today. She was still rather young, barely 20, but she had certain filled out. Because they were treking through a snowstorm, she was dressed in a heavy coat with a white fur lining, and heavily insulated in the interior, as well as large gloves over her hands. She also had a parka hat atop her head, which did nothing to hide her braid, and had a large scarf around her mouth. Strapped over her shoulder was some sort of rifle, but it was much more stylized than the typical firearm.

"Fuck it's cold!" one of the soldiers behind her cursed, holding his arms as his body shivered. "Why the hell are we moving all the way out here just for some recon?! That should be left for the scouts, not us dammit!"

"Quit your complaining man," another soldier replied. He looked to be rather young, perhaps five to six years younger than Najenda, having green hair that came down to his chin, as well as green eyes. Beneath the scarf was a rather large grin. "Not like we got anything better to do. Besides, I'd rather be with the Lieutenant Colonel than with the Ice Queen of the Partas."

"Che," the other soldier scoffed. "Don't remind me... I still don't get how the hell someone as crazy as that broad became a freaking Captain! I mean, she doesn't even have a Teigu for fuck's sake!"

"Well, I hear the fat bastard is planning on giving her one when they think she's ready to become a General." the green-haired male replied. "Still, better with Najenda than Esdeath, as I always say!"

Another soldier from behind him barked a laugh. "That's only because you got the hots for the Lieutenant Colonel, Lubbock!"

"Ah, stuff it! So what?! I'd brave Hell and back to be with her!" he snapped, only receiving jeering laughs in return. "Grr! Stop laughing dammit!"

Najenda sighed, shaking her head. She had been listening in on their conversation, which was rather hard not to, given how loud they were talking. She honestly didn't understand why Lubbock was willing to join her, given his young age. He showed promise, having reached the rank of Staff Sergeant, but he was still lacking. On more than one occasion has he nearly gotten himself killed, and she had to save him. It was becoming a pain, but she did admire his loyalty, and how far he was willing to go for them, and her especially. She also caught wind of their talk about Esdeath. The woman had joined barely two years ago, and she was quickly rising through the ranks. She wouldn't be surprised if the woman became a General in a year's worth of time.

'Now that I think about it...' she thought as she looked up at the white sky above her, the snow pelting away at her from the front. 'The Great General said he was planning on making me a General when he returned...' A wistful smile crossed her face. 'I wonder if I'm even ready for that spot yet.'

Even if she a Lieutenant Colonel now, she was still unsure if she had what it took to be a General. While she appreciated the Great General's actions, she wondered if she was truly ready for such a big responsibility.

'He said he saw potential in me...' she mentally mused. 'Just what did he mean by that?'

Before she could ponder it any further, however, she noticed a figure approaching from within the heavy snowfall. She tensed at first, her hands slowly reaching for the strap of the rifle before she relaxed. It was one of the scouts she sent ahead. A few hours earlier, she sent a scout team to investigate the area ahead of them, as to obtain further information about the settlement they're to investigate. According to the intel they received, members of the Revolutionary Army, a resistance group opposing the Empire had taken up residence, and was cooperating with members of the Eastern Tribes. In order to ascertain the truth, Najenda was ordered to investigate.

Fours passed, and still she received no reports. Now, however, it appeared that she was going to receive some news. "Are you with the Scout Team?" she asked almost immediately. The soldier who approached nodded. "How did reconnaissance go?"

"Not good." the soldier told her, his tone grave. "We got separated when the storm came by. We were able to find a small village, but..."

Najenda frowned. "But what?"

The scout looked away, as if trying to repress what he had witnessed.

"Speak up, soldier!" Najenda barked. She had to know.

"There was no one there...or rather...there is no one alive there..."

The other soldiers grew quiet, while Najenda's face became stern. "What." she growled. "Happened."

"I-I don't know, ma'am..." he said hesitantly, clearly disturbed. "When we came across the village... All we found were corpses. Dozens of them. A few of them looked like civilians, and a lot more were soldiers. They were definitely from the Revolutionary Army." He paused. "And... we found a few of our own men among the dead as well."

Lubbock's eyes widened. "What?" he questioned. "How? Sure, they were scouts, but even they could hold their own."

"I have no idea how it happened, but what truly disturbed me was the bodies." the soldier confessed. His face paled. "They... were torn apart, as if something had ripped them up. It was no Danger Beast, I know at least that much. It was as if... it was done by something else."

Najenda scowled. 'Well, this is just fantastic.' she thought sarcastically. Not only were her own men slaughtered, but civilians were also casualties? Even if they were guilty by association simply by aiding the Revolutionary Army, it was still no reason to involve them. Whoever had done this... they were obviously dangerous, if they killed the scouts and the rebels, but it raised questions as to who they were. Why target civilians and attack both sides? Either way, it was clear what the course of action was. "Everyone," she called out over the wind. "Get ready. Looks like we're in for a fight."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Lubbock, how good are you with your Teigu?"

The green-haired male looked a bit startled by the question, but steeled himself. "N-not very, ma'am. I've only had it for a few months, but if we're heading out for combat, I'll do my best."

Najenda smiled. "Good." she praised him before looking back ahead. "Alright, boys... Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXX

Blood. Everywhere he looked, there was blood. It stained deep into the snow, painting the once beautiful white fields a dark red stain that disfigured the beauty of it. Around him were corpses. Dozens of them. Some were the people in the village, caught up in the crossfire. The rest were covered in armor, weapons in hand. Despite the morbid scene, he viewed it all with apathy, merely looking up at the sky.

To whoever saw him, he looked very young. He wasn't even close to being in his mid-teens, standing at '4, 8" ft tall, dressed in a dress shirt that was partially unbuttoned, left in tatters with several tears along the arms and the hem of the shirt. His pants were black, and while having less damage than his shirt, they were completely splattered with blood. He wore no footwear whatsoever, left barefoot in the cold. His pale skin was covered in blood splats and scars, the most prominent being the one over his heart. It looked to be healed, but the scar was like a patch of misshapen and shredded skin sewn back together, right over where his heart was. His face was blank, and his bangs covered his eyes. His hair was red, a shade lighter than the splatters around him.

His gazed scanned the gore before him. All that was now dead was slain by his hand. Their entrails spilled out and the stench of blood was heavy on his hands, being dyed a deep red.

He saw it all from a higher level as he sat atop a mountain of dead bodies, both soldier and civilian.

His expression was calm amongst the horror around him, as if it didn't bother him in the slightest.

A single sigh escaped his lips.

"…I hate this smell."

The smell of blood and carnage...so disgusting.

The foul stench of rotting flesh, festering wounds, and coagulating blood irritated his nose.

He wondered what exactly caused it, or if he was the one responsible for the disgusting smell. He couldn't quite remember what happened. When he came to, he was standing atop this throne of the dead.

Whenever he tried to recall what happened to him...he could barely make sense of it. All he knew was that there was a flash of pain, a series of hazy images, and blood. Blood everywhere.

His hand went down to his chest, gently scraping the scar over his heart. His heartbeat continued to go in a steady rhythm, but it seemed to be a lot stronger. The beating echoed against his chest softly.

He closed his eyes, listening only to the sweet bliss of the silence before his eyes opened again, and turned to face the group that had approached him.

"...Well," the woman at the head of the group remarked. "This is new."

XXXXXXXXXX

When Najenda arrived, the soldier's reports were severely lacking. At first, she thought it to be some sort of battle, or a large-scale skirmish. No, that hadn't come close. It looked more like a one-sided slaughter. Everywhere she looked, she found bodies piled atop the snow, with the white ground soaking up the red liquid of the corpses like some sort of sponge. There were several civilians, as well as soldiers, most of them being her scouts. She found a few Revolutionary Army soldiers among the dead as well.

However, what caught her attention was the lone figure that sat atop what looked like a mountain of the dead, sitting there with a presence equal to a calm, icy menace.

The figure was clad in torn clothing, his shirt being ripped to shreds while his pants were in better condition. She could see the scars that ran all over his body, the most gruesome being the one on his chest. He was barefoot, but didn't seem to mind the numbing cold of the weather. His hands were darkened with blood as bits of flesh were seen under his fingernails. His Crimson hair blew around silently along with the wind, obscuring his eyes.

What was the most surprising was the fact he was only a kid! A young boy, not even in his teenage years yet.

If she were to give an estimate of his age... he would probably be 12 or 13. 14 at oldest.

"Well..." she said slowly. "This is new."

"Is...Is this for real, Najenda-san?" Lubbock questioned, still trying to process this. Was this kid really the one who killed everyone?

The others looked unnerved. They were disturbed by what they were seeing, especially since there was only a child in the midst of what looked like a sea of corpses. "Hey, kid." Najenda called out, still nervous. Something about this kid unnerved her. Just in case, she kept her hand on the strap of her rifle, and her body tense. "What happened here?"

The boy did not respond. He merely looked at them, his hair still obscuring his eyes. Najenda narrowed her eyes, and slowly advanced forward. "Are you the only survivor?" she asked again. "Do you know who did this?"

Again, the boy was silent. But his lips wordlessly moved.

Najenda was growing impatient. "Answer me!"

Once more, the boy said nothing. But this time, he lifted his head, giving them full view of his eyes.

Everyone was speechless at what they saw.

His left eye was blue, almost the color of the ocean sea when viewed from a distance, a beautiful cerulean blue. His right eye... was different. It was red, a shade darker than his own hair, and the whites of his eye were replaced with black.

Finally, they heard him speak.

"...so noisy."

"...I just want...quiet..." The boy slowly stood up from where he sat. The soldiers tensed in preparation for his next actions. Lubbock held his hands out, threads connected to his fingertips. Najenda kept her rifle close, ready to aim and shoot.

The boy jumped down, landing on the snow. The soft white ground crunched beneath his feet, and the snow began to dance around him. The group grew confused when it appeared as if the window began to spin all around him like some sort of dust devil. The snow danced with him, and his hair flapped about. As he glared back at then, Najenda felt it crashing against them.

Killing Intent.

'This kid...' she glared at the boy as she undid the strap, and took hold of her rifle. "Lubbock," she said to her comrade. "Get ready."

The young man nodded, lowering himself, and spreading his arms out.

He moved his fingers, the metallic threads coming to life as they snaked around him. The soldiers behind them prepared themselves as well, each one readying their weapon.

The boy calmly stepped forward, his feet leaving bloody footprints in the show.

Najenda narrowed her eyes as she aimed her rifle. "Tell me, kid." she said, her tone cold and chilling. "Were you the one who killed my men?"

The boy paused, looking at her. He was silent for a while before he answered. "...I don't know," he replied. "And I don't care." Suddenly, his body became encroached by a dark blue aura, which appeared to dance all around him, almost like a cloak. The group's eyes widened at the sight, with Najenda being the first to realize what it was. 'A Teigu?!'

He brought up his palm.

"...die."

The next second, a dark blast tore the ground apart, and went straight for them.

 **[Play Nickelback - "This Means War"]**

Najenda, Lubbock, and several other soldiers reacted quickly enough to move away from the line of fire. However, many weren't so lucky. As soon as the blast struck them, they were disintegrated. The men who were only partly caught in the blast were now missing chucks of their body. The ones who still survived screamed in absolute agony as they spilled copious amounts of blood. But soon enough, the fell in lifeless heaps.

The silver haired woman's eyes widened at what she had seen. That lone blast had just erased everything in its path.

'What in the hell was that?!' Lubbock thought in absolute shock. 'What kind of Teigu can do that?!'

'If we had been caught in that blast, we'd be dead.' the Lieutenant Colonel scowled as he turned to face. "Looks like..."

The muzzle of her rifle glowed, and the Teigu known as Pumpkin roared to life.

"We're in a pinch."

She immediately whipped Pumpkin around and took aim. The boy emotionlessly looked on as the muzzle of the weapon was pointed at his face.

Najenda almost pitied the boy. But she could not let him run loose after what she saw what he was capable of. She pulled the trigger of her Teigu.

She recoiled when the blast came forward, straight out of the muzzle, and charged straight forward. The boy glared as the aura surrounded him, curling around him like some sort of carpet as the blast struck him dead on. He was knocked off of his fee, sent flying and plowed through the mountain of corpses. The bodies were sent flying through the air, and the boy tumbled through the ground before coming to a stop. The aura retreated, flowing behind him before glaring back at Najenda.

Najenda looked at him in shock, but it quickly faded. 'So, it can also be used for defense...' she analyzed. 'However...!'

"Lubbock, now!"

The young man grinned, flicking his nose. "On it~"

He curled both of his hands into fists, wheels on the back of his hands winding rapidly to pick up the slack of the strings rolled around it.

The boy was on alert at the green haired male's next move. But his eyes widened as from below, strings appeared out of the snow and wrapped around him.

The aura cloaked him, but the strings had already captured him. The aura struggled as the wires began to tighten their grip, but they remained in a stand-still as the aura tried to release the boy.

"Damn! What is this guy?!" Lubbock grunted. It was taking everything he could to keep the threads in place.

"Lubbock! Hold him there!" Najenda ordered as she whirled Pumpkin around and aimed it at the boy.

The boy grunted, struggling from his bonds. "...go...!" he growled as his eyes widened, and the aura became more erratic. "AWAY!"

The aura around him quickly grew violent as it tore through the threads binding him.

Lubbock, having tried to restrain him with all of his might, fell backward as his wires were destroyed. The violet release collided with Najenda's shot, forcing the two to be thrown away.

"Dammit!" She cursed as she missed the chance. The boy brushed off some dust off his shoulder as he regained his bearings.

The boy shook his head, cradling his head in his hand. "...your all irritating..." he muttered before he looked back at them, and allowed the power that surrounded him to dance once more. "...just die!"

The dancing aura around him changed shape as multiple, thin tendrils manifested from the flowing energy before lashing out at the enemies.

Lubbock was quick to dodge, jumping back as two of the tendrils blasted straight into the ground, obliterating most of what he originally stood on. Najenda stood her ground, and fired several volleys, blasting right at the tendrils. Meanwhile, the other soldiers that survived the first blast opened fire. The boy scowled, the aura lifting him off of the ground, and sending him into the air. Lubbock tried to capture him in the air, his wires immediately coiling after him. Najenda also tries to shoot him down, but the aura coiled around his body into a tight ball.

The threads try to loop around the sphere, but they weren't able to get a solid grip and slid off. The shots from Pumpkin seemed to have rolled off the surface.

Eventually, the sphere dispersed, and small blasts rained down upon the ground. The soldiers scattered, trying their best to avoid the rapid fire while Lubbock and Najenda quickly moved to any form of cover available, hiding around a large rock. "Shit!" the green-haired teen cursed. "How the hell do we get past this?!" He looked to his commanding officer, who observed the boy as he descended to the ground, landing in a crouched position. The aura remained around him. "Lieutenant Colonel?"

"...he's inexperienced." she observed, earning a frown of confusion from Lubbock. "He's not used to using a Teigu."

"What do you mean?" Her subordinate questioned, ducking when a stray piece of rubble nearly brained him.

"From the way he moves and acts." She responded. "He doesn't move as if he and his Teigu are synchronized. It's more along the lines of the Teigu leading him."

Lubbock frowned. "So, you mean..."

Najenda nodded. "That Teigu has quite the terrifying level of power, but it can't attack and defend at once."

She noticed this as they fought. The Teigu the boy supposedly had wasn't able to simultaneously attack and defend. It had to perform one action or the other given the situation.

"So how do we force an opening?" Lubbock asked. "Do I tighten the noose?"

"No." the woman shook her head, aiming her gun. "...make him screw up."

He grinned. "Done."

The boy receded his Teigu, remaining still, eyes locked on the stone. Suddenly, another round of wires appeared below him, trying to capture him. He jumped away, but the soldiers managed to recover from his earlier attack, and opened fire. The dark blue aura twisted in front of him, defending against the bullets. He was forced to twirl his body around as more threads chased after him, doing his best to avoid them, lest he be caught and strangled by them. He wasn't sure why, but if he got too close to it, he would die.

He landed on the ground, looking up just in time to see Najenda firing off more rounds. The Teigu tossed him to the side, avoiding the blasts. He noticed that the firepower had grown. 'Troublesome,' he noted in annoyance before the dark shroud moved again to defend him from the incoming blasts. However, the amount of force behind the blasts caused the aura to disperse, if only slightly.

Using this chance, the wires quickly came in to strike. Alarmed, the boy retreated further. But in his haste, he failed to notice more threads approaching from his behind.

He cursed, and the aura coiled around him, intercepting the wires. They kept the wires at bay, not even allowing them to touch it's user. However, with it so scarce, it struggled to maintain a physical form. It was while the boy was trying to find a hole of opportunity, a means of escaping, that he noticed a high whirling sound. It came from above him.

He looked up, and his eyes widened. Directly above him, with Pumpkin aimed right at him, was Najenda, a smirk plastered across her face. "Gotcha."

She pulled the trigger. Her body recoiled in mid-air as a blast fired straight forward, and slammed right into the ground. An explosion blew away everything around the intended target, corpses and snow being thrown into the air. A shockwave passed straight through, nearly knocking away the soldiers, though Lubbock managed to steady himself with his wires. The boy, however, was not lucky. He was thrown back, yelling in pain as the aura that protected him was completely blown away. His body hit the ground, jostled around and tumbling through before his back slammed against a wooden tree, directly behind him. Blood gasped from his mouth, flung out with his saliva as he recoiled from the impact. He remained there, aching in pain, before his body went limp, and his head lowered.

"Whew..." Lubbock sighed. "That was close. If we let him run loose any longer, I don't think even Pumpkin would have saved us." He chuckled slightly, grateful that Najenda was here with them. The silver-haired woman landed on the ground, placed into a kneeling position before standing back up. The green-haired male smiled in admiration, stars in his eyes while his cheeks became somewhat red. "Hot damn she looks so fucking cool!" he gushed. "Haaaaaah! God, if your listening, thank you for blessing me with such a hot and awesome partner!"

Najenda shook her head, having heard Lubbock's statement. "When will he ever learn..." she muttered before turning her attention back to the child. His body remained still, and his Teigu nowhere in sight. A troubled expression settled over her face as she cautiously approached him, weary of the threat he posed. 'I've never heard of a Teigu of this level of power... There's no way it could be a Shingu, either. But, if it is a Teigu... what could it be? And where is it? I don't see it anywhere on him.' She then recalled that some Teigu were implanted into the user's body, or became apart of it, almost like a limb. Given the boy's eye, it was possible that his right eye might be the Teigu, given the unique nature. Perhaps a side effect?

She stopped in front of the boy. He was conscious, and alive, evident by the steady rising and falling of his chest. He made no attempts to try and stop her either, perhaps a sign that he accepted defeat. She was glad for that, at least... Still, she sure as hell didn't feel comfortable whatsoever doing this to a boy. She had never expected to run into a child soldier, if that was indeed what he is, but she also couldn't allow him to roam free. Given what she had seen today, he was a threat to the Empire, a threat that must be eliminated. With that in mind, Najenda lifted Pumpkin up, and aimed the muzzle at his head. Her finger rested over the trigger.

"...I'm sorry," she apologized to him. It may have been a weak thing to say, but it was the only thing that she could offer to him. "I wish it didn't have to be like this."

As she slowly squeezed the trigger, the boy lifted his head. As soon as their eyes met, the woman relaxed her finger.

Najenda hesitated. The look in the boy's eyes...they were no longer the eyes of a merciless killer...but the eyes of a lost child...

"So...I'm going to die now...right...?" The boy asked her. His voice held no form of resistance. Only resignation.

She faltered.

This boy...he was staring at Death right in the face...and he's accepting it?

"...why?" she found herself asking, her voice barely a whisper. "Why aren't you scared at all? If you die..."

The boy just gave her an empty, blank stare. "...I don't really care." he told her.

What he said next nearly made her drop Pumpkin.

"What's so scary about dying?"

This child he...he doesn't fear death...? No...it's more like...he doesn't cherish his own life...

No... That wasn't quite right either. It was almost as if... he didn't even KNEW what it meant to live.

Najenda bit her lip. This boy...he doesn't even know the meaning of life...of how to live! What...what right did she have to deprive a child of something they never even knew about?

"...Why are you hesitating?" He asked her stoically. "If you are going to kill me, then just kill me. It doesn't matter..."

Najenda stared at the boy. Her weapon was heavy in her hands. She could easily grant his wish, but...

"...what's your name?" she asked. The boy tilted his head in confusion. "I want to know your name."

There was a silent pause.

"...I don't remember." Najenda's eyes widened. "I don't remember my name, or my past... When I came to, the only thing I remember is... blood. Corpses everywhere, like a graveyard. Death reeking in the air."

The Lieutenant Colonel nearly dropped her weapon. If his complete lack of understanding of life perturbed her before, this sent her over the edge.

He...he doesn't even have a name...he doesn't have anything! All he knows is death...death and carnage.

"Lieutenant Colonel?" Lubbock called out for her as he approached. "We searched the village. It looks like the intel was correct after all. The people in this settlement were aiding the Revolutionary Army." When she didn't respond, he grew concerned, and then looked at the child. He just stared at her in utter confusion, waiting for her to pull the trigger, expecting him to end her. "Ma'am?"

"...yes, Lubbock?"

"What do we do with him?" he asked, gesturing to the boy. "It's possible he's also affiliated with the Revolutionary Army."

She considered it, but the option was far off in her mind. This boy had truly ached her heart in a way she had not imagined. Just how was it... that such a child could exist in this world? A boy with no name or history? Her heart ached for this poor child, who knew only death as his companion upon this road known as "life." She closed her eyes, having chosen a solution. She aimed her weapon again, and squeezed the trigger. The boy closed his eyes, accepting the end.

Then his eyes opened again, this time in shock, when the bullet whizzed past him, embedding into the tree behind him. "...the soldier who killed my men, as well as the rebels in this village, and their associates, has been executed." Najenda told him, lowering Pumpkin and staring him back in the eye. "As far as anyone else is aware... you are this village's only survivor."

Lubbock's eyes widened in absolute shock. "L-Lieutenant Colonel!" he protested. What in the world was she thinking?! If word go out about this, her promotion to General was screwed! Worse, she might even be thrown out of the military for this! She had worked so hard to reach where she was now, and soon she would be able to reach a position where she could change this rotten Empire from within! If she went through with this... Everything she's worked for will be put to jeopardy!

Just why? Why was she doing this?! He wasn't sure who looked more confused, himself, or the boy.

"...why?" he questioned, his tone still lacking any emotion. "Why... are you...?"

The woman smiled as she bent down, kneeling. "Let's just say... I have a soft spot for kids." she told him before extending her hand. "Come on... Let's get you some proper clothes."

The boy just stared at it perplexedly. Why? Why was this woman doing this for him? He had killed people. He fought against them. And she even had the best chance to take retribution and end his life! So why...why was she letting him live?!

"Why...why are you sparing me? Did you not want to kill me earlier? I am not afraid...Never have been...Why do you let me live...?" He inquired.

He...he just doesn't understand it. It was all so bizarre.

"Like I said, I have a soft spot for kids." Najenda told him, not retreating her hand. "And also... I can't stand it." He frowned heavily at her words. "I can't stand seeing that look in your eyes."

"The look...in my eyes...?" What did she mean by that?

Najenda nodded.

They young child looked down, his eyes narrowed. The look in his eyes...he still pondered what she meant.

"So, what do you say?" the Lieutenant Colonel asked, keeping her hand out. "Will you give me this chance?"

The boy remained silent, looking at her hand. Finally, he gave a nod.

His reached out for hers.

XXXXXXXXXX

"...and that concludes the report, your Majesty."

Najenda finished speaking. She was knelt down before the Emperor in the Throne Room of the Empire, giving her full account of what transpired on her mission. She left out a few key details, such as the boy being the killer, but was able to cover up for it by claiming the assailant was a solider of the Revolutionary Army.

The Emperor nodded. "Thank you for your report, Lieutenant Colonel Najenda." he said. He looked to be somewhere between his late twenties to early thirties, dressed in fine ornate clothes with a crown placed atop his head. His face looked rather pale, having light green hair and brown eyes. In his hands was a golden scepter. "Did you find any survivors?"

She kept her head low. "...only one, your Majesty." she lied. "A young child. I have taken him into my care for the time being, at least until I am certain of what to do with him."

A chuckle escaped the man beside the Emperor. "How kind of you, Lieutenant." the Prime Minister said as he munched on a large slab of meat in his hand. He was broad, both in terms of build and height. He had a large girth for a stomach, wearing a long white coat with a black fur lining, white hair, and a thick white beard at his chin. "I suppose we should be glad that it was you who found the boy, and not Captain Esdeath!"

The Emperor gave the man a disapproving glare. "...Honest."

"Ah, my apologies, my king."

The Emperor sighed, and then turned his attention back to Najenda. "Once again, I thank you for your diligent work, Najenda." he spoke in earnest, smiling. "You have been with us for only so short a time, but you have already begun to make such great strides."

The woman frowned while keeping her head bowed. This was the first time she heard him speak in such a manner. What was going on?

"You have accomplished many great things in the recent years," the Emperor continued. "And you have more than earned them." When Najenda looked him, she saw the Emperor grinning. "That is why, as of today, you are hereby promoted to the rank of General."

The Lieutenant Colonel-no...the General's eyes widened. She was being made a General? So soon? She did hear from the Great General that there was a strong chance she would be promoted, but she never imagined it would be THIS early.

"I-I..." she stuttered, unable to believe what she was hearing before she bowed her head again. "T-thank you, your Majesty."

The Emperor chuckled at her obvious shock, seeing as how she had not expected it. In truth, the Emperor still believed that she needed a few more years of experience, but he didn't question Budo. If the man believed her to be ready, then she must be. He was also proud of her accomplishments, and even thought about making her a member of his Royal Guard, when the time comes. She might just be the light this darkened country needed to pull it out of the darkness. Sadly, Honest didn't seem to share his views, and snorted. "I still don't think she's ready." he said, loud enough for only the Emperor to hear. "If you ask me, it should be the Captain who deserves that promotion."

A sigh escaped him. "Honest, we have been over this. Budo believes she's ready for this, and I'm inclined to believe in him. After all, he did not earn his position simply through raw power and accomplishments. He earned them through his recognition of others, and his own skills outside of the battlefield."

"Even still..." the Prime Minister huffed, taking a bite out of his chunk of meat. "On the subject, where is that lass anyway?"

"I received word that she returned only a few short hours ago." he replied. "I've already asked Budo to have her submit her report to me at a later date. For now, what do we know about the Revolutionary Army's current movements?"

Honest sighed. "They're an illusive bunch, as usual. They've been scurrying about like rats, and they cover their tracks well. So far, the only lead we have is their apparent infiltration in the East, where Najenda investigated."

"I see..." The Emperor nodded. He first heard word of the Revolutionary Army about a year ago, when it was first formed. However recently, there has been news of them making arrangements with the Eastern Tribes, allowing them to expand in power.

It greatly troubled him. Just what on Earth were they planning? He fully understood their reasonings for rebelling against their homeland. The Empire had become darkened and polluted, as even though he ruled it, there was some things he could not do against the spreading corruption. With each passing day, corrupt politicians and officials continued to drag his country further into the ground. Things needed to change, and it needed to be done. Quickly.

The only real question was how to change a corrupted Empire, when you yourself are the Emperor?

XXXXXXXXXX

Najenda sighed as she exited the throne room, leaning against the door frame as she closed it behind her. The moment she left the room, she felt exhausting overcome her in a mere instant, crashing down on her shoulders. "What a day..." she muttered tiredly under her breath, rubbing the bridge of her nose. It had certainly been nerve-wracking, speaking to the Emperor and blatantly lying to him, but she felt it needed to be done. That boy had pained her heart, and recalling their conversation each time had only made her heart ache more and more. Just what on Earth had happened to that poor child to make him lose not only his memories, but to even forget the meaning of life itself? It was just... so wrong to her, to see a mere boy, not even in his teens, accept death as if it were a natural occurrence.

"General Najenda," a familiar, booming voice called to her, causing her to jump. "Welcome back."

The newly made General whirled around, and stood straighter. "G-Great General Budo!"

The figure she stood before gave off a presence that screamed authority and power. He was a heavily muscled man of tall stature. He was clad in dark gray plated armor up to his neck with golden gauntlets and white pants. A red cloak was wrapped around his shoulders. The shoulder guards were bulky and had yellow-tomoe markings on them. His spiky blond hair was swept back, with two strands seemed to resemble horns. His blue eyes were piercing and seemed to bore into her soul. The expression on his face was stern, yet there was a vague shadow of a grin on his lips.

"At ease, General." he told her. "Congratulations on your promotion."

Najenda bowed briskly, her arms at her sides. "T-thank you, Great General Budo." she said with the utmost respect, for before her was the strongest man in all of the Empire, bar none. "I am unworthy of this position."

"Oh, nonsense." he insisted. "You've got the makings of a great warrior, Najenda. Besides, it was either you getting this promotion, or some hopeless fool looking for grandeur, and I personally prefer you over bumbling idiots such as that." The woman smiled wistfully. The man certainly knew how to make her feel better. And in honesty, she agreed with him. Idiots who sought only glory and status did not deserve the rank of General. "So, tell me, how did your investigation into the East go?"

At this, she became quiet. She was unsure of what she should do. She had done everything she could in order to keep herself from fumbling up in front of the Emperor in her lie, but there was no way she could possibly lie to the man in front of her. He would definitely catch her lying, so that begged the question... what should she do? She had her men sworn to secrecy, and Lubbock was currently watching over him in another room. While they were loyal to her, Lubbock especially, even they would not be able to lie to the Great General.

No matter what she did, it was a lose-lose situation. She sighed, and stood straighter. Oh well, if she was going to get punished, may as well be now. "...about that, Great General Budo..." she said slowly, taking a deep breath before she bowed her head. "I'm afraid... I've betrayed the Empire."

Budo raised an eyebrow, and folded his arms over his chest. "Explain."

"In my report, I told his Majesty that the villagers had been wiped out, and with them, my own men. We eliminated the Revolutionary Army soldiers we found there, and discovered only one survivor. However... that is not the truth." She didn't raise her head. "When we found the village, we found both civilians and soldiers among the dead... both my own men, and the rebels."

"As we were nearing the village, one of my scouts returned to us and reported to us the situation at our destination. It confused us that something was capable of wonton slaughter. Initially, we all assumed it was some sort of Danger Beast..."

She then inhaled deeply, as if trying to calm herself. "...But it wasn't a Beast that we discovered to be the perpetrator...It was a young boy...the same boy that we brought back."

If she could see his face, she would see that Budo's face was set into absolute shock. A child? A child killed several trained soldiers by himself?

"At first, we assumed he was a survivor, and tried to ask him what had happened." Najenda continued. "However, we soon engaged him. He appears to be wielding a Teigu, though what, we don't know. We suspect it could be implanted into his body, as we found no equipment anywhere on his person."

Budo remained silent. Intently listening to her story.

"However...we also soon discovered that it was a very dangerous Teigu. It seemed to project an aura of sorts around the boy, acting as his defense and offense. Whenever we tried to strike him, the aura would simply repel or disintegrate any attack. And when he used it offensively...we lost many of our own forces. Most of the casualties were completely erased while those only partially in the line of fire were missing parts of their body."

"...I see." Budo closed his eyes, pondering his actions. Najenda remained slightly nervous, wondering what her superior would do. "And what of the boy himself?"

"...We initially believed him to be a great threat. However, when my subordinate, Lubbock, and I had him cornered...he didn't even resist. Even as I pointed my Teigu at him...he was resigned to his fate."

Her voice shuddered for a moment before she recollected herself. "...when I hesitated, he asked me why dying seemed so scary."

Budo's eyes widened ever so slightly. This...was not something you would usually hear from a child.

In fact, that was NEVER something you should ever hear from a child.

"We found multiple scars over his body," Najenda continued on with her report. "They're likely from his battle with the rebels and my scouts. However, he has an abnormally large scar on the left side of his chest, right over where is heart would be."

She then added something to note. "When we were done with the battle and had him in our custody, we searched his body to double check if he had a Teigu on his person...but he did not have anything on him aside from the rags he wore. Although, what seemed to have stood out most about him were his eye and the massive scar."

Budo frowned. "His eye?"

"Yes. His right eye was red with a black sclera, likely a side-effect from the Teigu."

Budo closed his eyes. He had experienced and heard many things in his service, in fact one might say he's heard or seen it all, but nothing ever prepares you for the things you will hear or see next. When Najenda told him she had 'betrayed' the Empire, he wasn't sure what she meant by that until she began to explain everything. A child that killed soldiers from both the Empire and the rebel army, a Teigu implanted in his body, and an acceptance of death... there was too little to understand.

"...show him to me."

Najenda finally looked up, staring back at Budo's heavy face.

"I want to see this boy..." he said slowly. "With my own eyes."

XXXXXXXXXX

'It's official,' Lubbock thought. 'This kid's a zombie.'

The green haired soldier scratched his head as he looked at the boy they brought back with them. He wasn't sure why Najenda chose to bring him back rather that killing him. Even though the mere thought of killing a child disgusted him to no end, he wasn't an idiot as he saw what the boy was capable of. He had decimated a good number of their soldiers before he was captured, and it didn't seem to bother him in the least.

Nevertheless, he followed Najenda's actions and respected her decision. It didn't mean he wasn't wary of the boy, though.

Ever since they brought him back with them, he hadn't spoken a word. They cleaned him up, and formally dressed him in better clothes. As a precaution, though, he was hand-cuffed. He was currently sitting on the bed opposing him, his head lowered, and an eyepatch over his right eye. It would be a problem if people saw that, so they covered it up. He didn't do anything since they got here, hell he hasn't even spoken a word. He just stared at the ground, looking as dead as the proverbial doornail.

Speaking honestly, he was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Sooo..." he started, trying to start some sort of conversation. "Great weather today, right?"

"...I guess..."

His voice was just as empty and emotionless as it was back in the village.

'Not very social...is he?' Lubbock deadpanned. But he didn't give up. "...do you know how you got to that village?"

"I do not."

"Do you remember anything?"

"No."

"Do you know how you got those scars?"

"No."

"...would it kill you to actually speak more three words?"

"No."

Lubbock deadpanned. "Are you even listening."

"No."

The green haired teen was close to pulling his hair out! Why was HE assigned to watch this difficult child?! He can't even hold a simple conversation with him!

"...You are annoyed..." The boy stated the fact.

"Of course I am!" he snapped. "Why the heck did I get stuck looking after you?!"

"...Didn't that woman tell you to look after me?"

"Okay, first off, it's not 'woman,' it's Najenda." Lubbock growled. "And second of all, you don't have to remind me about that! I know what the Lieutenant Colonel told me! I just don't get why I'M the one who's got to babysit you."

"...Isn't it because she trusts you?" The boy questioned.

Lubbock was about to retort to that when the words registered in his mind. Najenda... trusts him...

Najenda... trusts him...

Najenda... trusts him...?

Najenda... Beautiful, sweet, amazing Najenda... TRUSTS him?

She trusts HIM?!

At this point, he was thanking the Gods as he danced happily around the room. Tears of absolute joy ran down his face.

There was hope...THERE WAS HOPE!

The boy tilted his head, confused. "Why are you crying?" he asked.

Lubbock grinned like a fool as he pranced about like a damned jester. "Because I'm the happiest man alive, that's why!" he shouted. "Oh thank you merciful gods!"

The boy wasn't sure how to respond to that statement, so he wisely chose to go back to staring down at the floor. His ears perked up when he heard the sound of heavy footfalls coming down from the hallway. 'Someone's coming,' he thought. His thoughts proved to be true when the door to the room opened, revealing Najenda and one other.

"Lieutenant Colonel!" Lubbock's face immediately brightened as he whirled around. "Welcome back-" His face fell immediately when he saw who was standing next to her. As soon as he saw him, his face went deathly pale, and his body became rigid. "G-G-Great General Budo?!" he gaped in shock before he immediately stepped into a salute. "S-Staff S-Sergeant Lubbock, r-reporting!"

"At ease, soldier." the man known as Budo said. "General Najenda has told me everything..." His face became heavily stern as he folded his arms. "By all rights, I should have every last member of Najenda's forces condemned and sent to jail, and she stripped of rank and punished accordingly for doing what did." Lubbock's face paled further, eyes showing absolute terror while Najenda grew tense, displaying no outward emotion, and kept her arms at her sides.

"However..." He continued. "I will withhold my judgment until I see the boy for myself." The hulking man stepped forward, passed Lubbock, and stopped before the boy.

"Raise your head, child." The man stated.

The nameless boy complied as he slowly lifted his head revealing his eyes.

The moment their eyes met, the boy suddenly felt as if he were staring right at a behemoth. He felt an enormous pressure falling upon his shoulders, nearly being throttled to the ground, the strain cracking down upon him like a weight. This man... no, this was no man. He was a giant. A beast on the battlefield who held power and authority in spades.

Budo studied his face, looking deep into his eyes. What he found was... disturbing, to say the least. Najenda had not lied when she spoke of how resigned he was to the concept of dying. He found nothing in his eyes, not a shred of concept or a reason. It was like he was hollow, empty. Nothing but a shell with no occupant.

The boy was alive for sure...but there didn't seem to be a soul within him.

He has seen this look before on soldiers who lost everything. But to see such a thing in the eyes of a child...

But, in spite of that long emptiness, the man could see it, plain as day, hidden deep within the depths of a murky blackness that was the void of his heart. It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, that gazing into the eyes of another would reveal their innermost self. It was deep, almost impossible to find, but Budo could see it sparkling in the depths.

An old smile appeared over his face.

"...you've had it rough," he said as he kneeled down to eye-level. "Being forced to see things like that, at such a young age."

"...not really," the boy responded. Budo chuckled before lifting his head. The boy registered the action, believing it to be a threat. His body tensed, waiting for the action... but it never came. Instead, he felt a large hand gently ruffle his hair.

"There's no need for you to act tough." the general said warmly. "My name's Budo. From what Najenda's told you, you don't remember jack squat, right?" The boy nodded. "In that case, why don't we give you a name?"

The boy looked at him in confusion. The same sentiments could be shared by Najenda and Lubbock. Not once have they seen Budo act like this.

"A...name...?"

"Well, we can't just keep calling you boy, now can we?"

The boy frowned. "I don't think your supposed to give someone a name."

Budo cracked a grin. "Maybe, but it's a bit of a fun, don't you think?" He looked over his shoulder. "Lubbock, do you have a paper and pen with you?"

"E-eh?" the green-haired soldier blinked. "O-oh! Yeah! One second!" He quickly turned to his bag, rummaging through it before pulling out what looked to be a notepad, and a black ballpoint pen. "Here you go, sir." he said, handing the objects to the commanding officer. Najenda knitted her eyebrows in confusion. Just what was he doing?

"What are you doing?" the boy voiced her thoughts.

"Simple," he answered. "It's something like a word game. You pick your two favorite letters, and then write down the first thing that comes to mind."

As soon as the Great General wrote down the alphabet on the piece of parchment, he handed the slip and pencil to the boy. The nameless child scanned the sheet and its twenty-six letters. He took a few moments to think. Until finally, he came with his response.

"I like these two." He circled the desired letters before showing the paper to Budo. He then read the circled symbols out loud.

"F, T." Budo smiled somewhat. "And what's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear those letters?"

"…Fast." The boy replied.

"Fast huh? Well, then you have a name." Budo told him. The boy's eyes widened. That... that was his name? "From here on, you'll be Faust. How does that work for you, boy?"

"…Faust... Faust..." the boy repeated the name, over and over, as if trying to get a feel for it. "My name is... Faust..." Then, to Najenda's relief and joy, the boy smiled.

A true, genuine smile.

"...I like it."

"Good." The Great General nodded. That was a first step in the right direction.

"But, Great General..." Najenda said hesitantly. "What do we do with him?"

"Well, the first order of business is to find out what Teigu he has." Budo answered. "Luckily, we have a researcher by the name of Stylish who's quite the know-it-all about the Imperial Arms. If anyone can tell us what Faust has, it's him."

Faust tilted his head. "...Teigu?" he asked, having never heard of the term before.

"It means Imperial Arms." Budo answered. "The Teigu are 48 super weapons made by the first Emperor of the Empire 1000 years ago. However, many of them were lost throughout history. We only have a handful in our custody."

"As a matter of fact," Najenda smiled as she folded her arms. "Myself and Lubbock have one. Mine is called Pumpkin, a rifle that grows in power when the situation becomes more dire. And Lubbock's is steel wires that can trap the enemy, and then strangle them to death."

Said soldier grinned with glee, being praised (at least to him) by Najenda before looking at Budo. "By the way, sir... Who's this Stylish?"

"Well..."

XXXXXXXXX

"HOOOOWAAAAAH! THIS BOY IS ABSOLUTELY STYLISH!"

"Whoa whoa whoooooa!" the green haired soldier immediately backed away, crossing his arms over his chest. "Baaaaaack away, you creepy devil! This body is reserved for General Najenda!"

Budo sighed, shaking his head a she looked at Najenda, who looked to be rather dumbstruck by the man's eccentric behavior. "See what I mean?"

"...he's a weirdo." she said at point blank. "And HE'S supposed to be an expert on Teigu?"

Faust merely stayed quiet as he stood next to Budo, merely looking at the man called Stylish with a cautious gaze. He moved in a bizarre manner, but the stench that covered him was unmistakable.

"Stylish," Budo boomed, earning the man's attention. "Quit trying to violate the Staff Sergeant. I didn't come here just to listen to your talk about style."

The bespectacled man chuckled, adjusting his specs. "If you say so, Great General." he said, grinning. "You're looking as stylish as ever. So, tell me, what brings you to my humble abode?"

"I want you to take a look at Faust here." Budo stated as he rested a hand on the boy's shoulder. We have determined that he is in possession of a Teigu, but we do not know which one."

Stylish raised an eyebrow, giving the boy a look over. He put a hand on his chin, humming while his eyes roamed the child's body. It slightly disturbed Najenda, and felt her fingers twitch. If this man proved to be a damned pedophile, she'd take great pleasure in shooting him dead, him being an asset be damned.

"...and where would it be?" Stylish asked.

"Apparently inside of him." the soldier answered. Stylish's eyes widened. "From what I know, there are a few Teigu that can implant itself into the human body, much like a parasite."

"Yes, such Teigu exist," the man nodded. "But they're so few in number! At best, we have only three known records of such Teigu, and I doubt we are in possession of any of them."

"Do we not have Demons Extract though? The Ice Manipulating Teigu that can be consumed?" Najenda asked.

"Yes...but it is not like the parasitic types."

The newly made General frowned. "How so?"

"For one thing," Stylish adjusted his glasses again. "It doesn't inject itself into the host body. Rather, the user drinks it, like they would with water. Furthermore, if the wielder is accepted, then the Teigu fuses into their body via the blood stream. Parasitic types however...are much trickier. If they reject the host...then they would be nothing more than bloody stains as they would be ripped apart from the inside out."

Lubbock paled. 'Thank god for Cross Tail...!'

"Now then..." Stylish turned to Najenda. "What sort of abilities did he display?"

"He was able to generate some sort of aura that obliterates anything it touches." she informed. "It also can act defensively, but it can't attack and defend at the same time."

The doctor kneeled down, looking the boy over. "Any noteworthy wounds?"

"A large scar over his heart."

At this, the Doctor froze as if her were struck by a sense of realization. His head snapped toward the boy. In the next second, he ripped the boys shirt off of his wiry frame.

"Oi!" Lubbock cried out. "The hell are you doing, you creepy quack?!"

"Hush, stylish boy!" the doctor snapped as he observed the boy's wound. His eyes practically analyzed it before he slipped his hands into his pockets. When he removed them, a pair of blue gloves with silver platings. He gently roamed his hands across the boy's wound, humming. "Could it be...?"

Budo frowned heavily. "Do you have an idea of what it might be?"

"I have an idea..." the man replied before he slipped one of his hands into his coat pocket. He pulled out some sort of contraption, resembling some kind of square with a net-like grid. Lubbock frowned.

"The heck is that?"

"This, my dear boy, is an x-ray of my own design," the doctor proclaimed proudly. "Designed in part by Perfector!" He held the screen over the boy's heart, and his free hand began to strum along one of the rods. Soon, the grid began to flicker to life, revealing the boy's organs and bones.

Najenda's heart nearly stopped. Lubbock looked green in the face. Budo's face remained impassive, but even he was disturbed by what he saw. Stylish, however, was grinning ear to ear. "Well, well..."

The image showed the boy's heart... or what they assumed to be his heart.

It had a similar shape, but unlike a normal human heart being colored by the blue and red of veins and arteries, this organ was completely pitch back, save for the blood-red runes branded all over it. It also seemed to be wrapped by thin, metallic bones. In the center of the Heart was a single demonic eye.

But to their disbelief and disgust, the eye moved in different directions as if searching for something. And from time to time, it blinked. It was no mere Teigu….it was alive!

"W-what..." was all Lubbock managed to say. "The fuck...?!"

Faust tilted his head in confusion, looking down at the screen to see what looked like a heart hidden underneath muscle and flesh and bone. "...is this my Teigu?" he asked, completely undisturbed.

"Yes, indeed it is." Stylish chuckled. "And you, my boy... are both stylish and lucky. I've read about a few Teigu being particularly picky about their wielders, and this one is the most nit-picky of them all."

Budo looked at the doctor. "Do you know what this is, Stylish?"

The doctor grinned widely, a smile belonging only to a madman, as he stood up, closing the grid and slipping it back into his lab coat. "I've only read about it, but there's no doubt about it." he said. "That Teigu is very tempermental. It's the only one on record that has had so little hosts, mostly because, well, any poor fool that isn't compatible with it usually ends up torn apart from the inside out." That was all it took for Lubbock, as he immediately rushed over to the other side of the room, dumping the contents of his stomach out on the floor. "It literally rips out its hosts heart, and replaces it, effectively becoming the new primary organ."

"Th-that's..." Najenda stammered, utterly horrified. "That is completely barbaric!"

"Well, what do you expect? It's made from the hearts of three Danger Beasts, one of them being used as material to make the Demon Dragon Armor, Incursio." Stylish told them as he adjusted his glasses. "The Power of Annihilation is comprised of the unique trait of its components. The Danger Beast known as Typhoon was said to have the mysterious power to channel it's Chi, an energy supposedly found within the human body, and use it to create energy blasts, while the other, the Insipid Scorpion, could literally manifest it's killing intent into a physical form, and as you know, the Danger Beast Tyrant had the ability to adapt to anything, from climates to even it's enemies."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Imperial Arms known only as... The Devil's Heart, Lucifer!"

But to Faust...the name of it sounded cool. Although, he wasn't quite sure what to make of this Teigu heart. It was made from the flesh of three Danger Beasts? He was confused, yet intrigued, by the process of it.

"Lucifer..." Budo closed his eyes. "How oddly fitting..."

Najenda frowned. "Sir?"

"If memory serves, Lucifer means 'Morning Star.' It's also the name of the first fallen angel, and the king of hell."

"Yes, yes, indeed!" Stylish jumped up in glee. "It was said that Lucifer fell because he rebelled against his father, God. Due to his arrogance, God stripped Lucifer of his entire existence as an Angel and banished him to the fiery depths below the human realm. From there, Lucifer spawned his own followers, the anti-thesis of Heaven's Angels: The Devils of Hell."

"S-so..." Lubbock groaned, wiping away the last of the vomit from his mouth. "What? The kid's the freaking king of hell or something?"

Najenda chuckled. "A name is just that, a name." she said. "Still... just where on Earth did he obtain it?"

"Who can say?" Stylish shrugged his shoulders. "It's been lost to us for a very long time. Either way, he's sure to be one terrifying opponent."

Budo sighed. "Well, at any rate, thank you, Stylish."

"It's always a pleasure of the ever stylish Great General~"

Budo nodded as he turned to leave. Najenda, Lubbock, and Faust followed right after, leaving the mad doctor alone in his lab.

As they closed the door, they heard Stylish scream. "Gah! Who got vomit all over my nice, clean laboratory floor?!"

Najenda looked at Lubbock, who at least the decency to look ashamed. "Heheh... sorry?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"...any luck?"

"No, sir. Our entire unit was wiped out. By what, I can't say, but whatever it was also took out the Empire dogs too."

"And there's no sign of Lucius anywhere?"

"None, sir."

"Dammit!" The man cursed. "We've been looking for weeks and still no sign of him!"

"What do we do?"

"You keep looking. That kid supposedly had intel that is vital to our cause."

"Yes, sir!"

With a salute, the Revolutionary soldier marched away, going back to his search. As he did so, his commanding officer, a scruffy looking man with dark hair and brown eyes sighed in frustration, running a gloved hand through his scalp. "Crow is going to be pissed..." he muttered, not yet wanting to face the wrath of one of the higher-ups. It was common knowledge how close he was to his brother, and if he was one of the bodies, well... He really didn't want to be anywhere close to him. Sure, he may act like a lazy bum, but that's only those who haven't seen him on the battlefield. The soldier knew first hand how scary he was, in fact everyone in the sub group knew... and that's why he was in charge of the main forces.

Still, either way, they needed to find Lucius. Even if he was just a corpse, it was better than not finding him.

If they found him, whether alive or dead, at least his brother and team would have the comfort of knowing he was there. If it were the latter however...then there would be no stopping them from delivering retribution.

But to not find him at all only intensified the anxiety they all felt not knowing whether he was alive or dead.

He surveyed the scene once more, unable to comprehend just what kind of monster could kill so many people so quickly, much less what they were doing. At first, it seemed like a Danger Beast... but given the wounds and autopsy reports, they had all died almost instantly, with few seconds in between them. He knew nothing about a terrible threat such as that, but if it were a human in possession of a Teigu... they would certainly be a monster.

He already feared what would've happened if Lucius was caught in the crossfire. Hopefully he managed to escape. But even if he did, where would he go? Where would he be?

Either way, it was going to be increasingly difficult to locate him. Crow is definitely not going to like this...

Not one bit.

XXXXXXXXXXX

 **Kill Order...TERMINATED**

 **Next Time: Kill-Order 1: A Devil on the Battlefield**


	2. Chapter 2

**Co-Written with Demons Anarchy of Pride. The creator of many fantastic masterpieces such as: Fire Emblem: Eternity Unto Reformation, Code Geass: Lelouch of the R-eset, The Crow: DxD, Highschool, DxD: Shatter Destiny, RWBY's Reaper, Code Geass 00, Fractured Reality, Code Geass: Suzaku of the Counterattack, Devil Survivor: Destiny Rewind, and some of his new projects, such as Lagrange 111: You Are (Not) Alone, Tokyo Ghoul: A Flowered Colored Darker Than Black, Persona 4: The Unseen Truth, Monarch, Kill the Deadly Sin, Code Geass: The Butterfly Effect, DxD: Final, DC Heroes: FORGOTTEN BLOODSTAINED LEGACY, DxD: Nocturne, Project, A Tale of Three Dragons, A Dragon Darker than Black, Code Geass: Kill the Rebellion, RWBY: Colorless Memories, RWBY: Black Rebellion, RWBY: Final Judgment, Persona 3: Death Overture, and more.**

 **I highly recommend you check them all out.**

 **I really appreciate your help, man. Couldn't have done this without ya!**

 **I also recommend a few stories made by another talented fanfic writer, Otaku-Nation666: Warning Letter, Highschool DxD: Destiny's Play, RWBY Riders: Spirits of Legend, Deadly Sin of the Spriggan, RWBY: Within Enlightened Hearts, Tokyo Ghoul: Wishes of an Eyepatch, Fabulae Parcae, RWBY –Apocrypha-, Tokyo Mirage Sessions: Apocalypse, and more.**

 **Thank you to all who continue to support this story. Please Read and Review.**

 **Also…..ALL FLAMES CAN JUST BURN IN HELL!... So don't even bother.**

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Kill the Devil**

 **Kill-Order 01: A Devil on the Battlefield**

Esdeath.

When you heard the name, you immediately knew who they were talking about. There was hardly a single person on the continent who did not know the name of the woman who was considered to be the Strongest General in the Empire, second only to the likes of Budo, the Great General.

It was even more amazing given the fact she was only in her early twenties. At such a young age, she has proven herself to be one of the most powerful the Empire has to offer.

Currently, she was waging a campaign in the North, battling against the fiercest enemies the Empire was facing...though in Esdeath's opinion, and her soldiers as well, the war was nothing short of a one-sided massacre. Everywhere one would look, men and women, be them civilian or soldier alike, were found frozen solid. While the winters could be quite harsh, it was impossible to find someone frozen in ice completely. However, this was no ordinary ice...it was ice forged by a Teigu. The one in Esdeath's possession...in her very blood.

Demon's Extract.

A drinkable Teigu forged from the blood of a Danger Beast who could manipulate ice to its will. It was undoubtedly one of the most powerful Teigus the Empire had in its possession, but due to the madness it brings from the bloodlust within the liquid, there hasn't been a compatible wielder as all who tried broke down from insanity.

Normally, one need only to drink a small portion of it, but Esdeath had drunk the Teigu in its entirety...and gained incredible power it promised. The enemies of the Empire, since then, gave her a fearsome moniker when she faced against them the day she obtained such a power.

The Ice Empress.

Anything that stood in her way, she would freeze it over entirely. Be it any terrain, Danger Beasts, or armies, she would freeze them all.

Before General Najenda had defected and joined the Revolutionary Army, there was one mission where she and Esdeath were tasked with eliminating a rebellions tribe to the South. They were rumored to be quite barbaric, taking part in otherwise gruesome and horrifying rituals. The only thing that separated the troops from the enemy village was a single river, too deep for anyone to pass through. The river currents were also very powerful, and it would take several days before reaching the village via an alternate route. Thus, the fearsome woman had frozen the river solid, a feat most impressive.

However, despite all of her strength and ability, Esdeath was seen as cruel and monstrous, even to some within the Empire. She purposely left a number of survivors alive, in hopes that they would grow stronger, rally greater forces, and challenge more foes once again. What she sought...were great and powerful foes, but none could hope to match. She was patient, and took out any frustration and irritation out on the prisoners of war they had gained.

It was quickly learned by then that the woman was also an extreme sadist.

Her torture methods were so extreme that one would compare them to the punishments given to the damned in Hell. As a result, the Empire's torturers looked up to her in admiration and followed her example.

Needless to say, many had come to fear the Ice Empress...but, there was one who was said to be worse.

Many know of him. Though not as cruel as Esdeath, or as sadistic, he has left a great many corpses in his wake, as well as ruin. Some even go to say that he was trained by the Great General Budo himself.

A powerful soldier at a young age, even younger than Esdeath. Everywhere he went, be brought forth annihilation. Buildings, people, Danger Beasts, even the earth itself were destroyed by him. To this day, he was given the moniker by those in the Revolutionary Army, The Devil of the Empire.

And currently, he was Esdeath's right hand man...and was partnered with her for her campaign. Currently, the individual sat on a small pile of debris, holding what looked like a small pocketbook in his hand, jotting something down on the paper. Meanwhile, Esdeath herself was sitting on a chair, her legs folded, and her head resting against her hand. All around her, soldiers were gathered, awaiting their next orders. However, strangely, a naked man sat in front of Esdeath, a collar around his neck with a chain attached to it, a chain that the woman held in her hand.

To many, Esdeath was certainly a beautiful woman. Her skin was akin to that of porcelain, like due to how she was raised in the cold climate. She was tall and slender with long light blue hair and blue eyes. She wore the General's uniform, being a white suit with a black interior, the collar overturned, and black gloves. Additionally, she wore high-healed boots. A fair amount of her cleavage was exposed, revealing a strange mark, likely symbolizing the mark of her Teigu. Atop her head was a white cap.

"...how boorish," Esdeath commented, staring down at the naked man in disdain. "They said that Numa Seika, the Prince of the Northern Lands, was supposed to be the greatest rival the Empire had faced." She gave a swift tug, forcing the man forward, and then delivered a swift kick. Her heels sliced open his skull, killing him instantly as he fell to the ground, even destroying a portion of his skull. "What a waste of time." She then looked over her shoulder, staring at the individual who had been watching her in silence. "What of you, Faust? What is your opinion?"

Faust had matured grown greatly throughout the few years. He now stood at 5'4" ft, and his hair had grown longer, covering up his one unusual eye. Unlike other soldiers, he was dressed in a heavy black trench coat and baggy black pants, complete with white gloves and heavyset black boots. Underneath, he wore a dark gray shirt with a black tie. His writing hand stopped as he put away his pen and recited the words he wrote down.

"The remains of foes lay forever sleeping in frozen graves.  
Their souls erased, and their existence no longer matters  
The earth swallows the blood our soldiers craved.  
The North has been conquered, our victory forewarned  
No defiance from its Hero, whose spirit has been shattered."

His eyes then narrowed after audibly reading the words. He shook his head as he pocketed the small book in his jacket. "Like my poem, their forces were completely lackluster."

The blue-haired general's lips curled upwards. "Hm...I've always wondered what you write down in that little black book of yours," she said before dropping the chain in her hand, and stood up. "At any rate, it's time to return to the Capital. Hm, I wonder how things are going back home...perhaps the Revolutionary Army has gotten better?"

"That is a possibility." Faust nodded thoughtfully as he jumped off the piece of rubble he sat on. "Given their tenacity, they continue to strive to best our forces or cripple us in any possible way."

The woman shrugged. "Of course, they could also still be incompetent. I suppose tenacity is one thing to be admired, but when it becomes stupidity...it's something to laugh about." She then developed a thoughtful look on her face. "Hm...perhaps there, I...might be able to find what's been plaguing me lately."

"What do you mean?" Her right hand arched a brow in curiosity.

"Tell me, Faust, have you ever been in love?"

Now the teenager was even more confused. "...Love?"

"Yes, love...I've always wondered about how it felt."

The red-haired boy sighed, shaking his head. "Then you have come asking the wrong person."

After all, Faust did not know what love was like. He has only heard of it, but never felt or experienced it. He was absolutely useless in this department.

Still, what an odd thing for Esdeath of all people to ask. Just what made her so curious about it all of a sudden? Well, not that it mattered. There were more important things to attend to. "With this, the Northern Rebellion has been quelled," he said as he walked beside her, soldiers trailing behind them. "All that's left to do is route out the rest of the rebels...of course, knowing you, you'd most likely capture them and torture them to death."

"You know me so well, my trusted right-hand." Esdeath grinned in amusement.

"Correction," Faust said. "Temporary. When we return to the Capital, Father will assign me somewhere else."

Yes, ever since the day he had become apart of the Empire as a soldier, honing his skills and abilities, he had come to calling the man who gave him the name Faust as 'father'. Budo didn't seem to mind it, once mentioning that, years ago, he wanted to have a family of his own, but with the way the Empire was now, he had to prioritize the safety of the Empire over his love life.

As such, he was never able to settle down and find the right woman and raise a family. That is, until General Najenda took Budo to see him and gave him his name.

As he was left in the past, he suddenly stopped as figures entered into their line of sight, emerging from the alleyways. Some had even taken to coming up to the rooftops, armed with rifles. "Ho?" Esdeath smirked, recognizing their uniforms. "It appears the remains of Nuba's troops have come to us. How fortunate~"

She raised her hand, ready to attack, but Faust stopped her, raising a hand. "Sorry," he said, stepping forward. "But...I need a chance to stretch my legs. I don't want to become rusty." He paused. "That...and Lucifer wants to play a bit." He looked back at Esdeath. "You don't mind...right?"

"Of course not." The woman shook her head. "It is only fair for you to get a turn. I've already indulged myself plenty earlier." A cold smile then stretched across her face. "Feel free to run wild."

Nodding in confirmation, Faust step forward and cracked his knuckles. "Don't worry, I plan to..."

The rebels, in response, aimed their weapons at him.

The red haired teen was bemused by this action, knowing how futile it would be. A dark blue aura slowly rose from his skin until it fully encased his body.

They opened fire on him, but the bullets bounced off. Shells crunched under the snow, rapidly falling to the ground as they fruitlessly tried to kill him. Soon, however, the rain of bullets ceased. Faust looked rather bored. "...are you done?"

His question was greeted with stunned expressions and lack of words out of shock. Taking this as a sign for him to continue, the red head decided to go forth and attack. His aura fluctuated, and like a snake, it lashed out several tendrils and ran through each sharpshooter from above.

The tendrils pierced straight through their hearts, leaving behind holes the size of a basketball. Soon, they waned and dropped to the earth with a sickening crunch. Then, a cold smile touched his face, seemingly reveling in the horrified looks of the remaining rebels. "...my turn."

The frightened soldiers moved to aim their guns to shoot. But by the time they leveled their firearms, the barrels were sliced off cleanly. In that second of confusion, they stared at Death right in the face.

The aura had shifted from enveloping his body to cover solely around his arm, formed in the shape of a wing. He quickly swung down his energy covered limb and tore through the bodies as if they were wet tissue paper. A shockwave blew straight through them, blowing snow and debris into the air, along with corpses. The bodies smacked harshly against the castle's walls, reducing to blood splats upon falling back to the ground. Faust landed on his feet and observed his handiwork.

There was hardly any there in front of him now. Some of the buildings were cleanly sliced through as well, leaving behind slanted structures. "Hm...six out of ten," he gave himself a score. He still didn't have as much control as he liked, noting that, despite being sliced, there were a few cuts that showed jagged edges. "Could have been better."

"On contrary, Lieutenant Faust," Esdeath voiced her approval, clapping. "A marvelous display. Ah, I never tire of seeing Lucifer's power firsthand."

"Maybe. But it is hardly as artistic as your own skill with Demons Extract." The youth responded, putting his hands in his pockets. "The way you battle with it is akin to a Maestro conducting a symphony."

Esdeath tilted her head, a finger at her cheek. "Hm, you believe so?" she inquired. "I hadn't thought of it that way."

"It is, at least to me," Faust shrugged. "For every poor soul you freeze, they become a sculpture, and a work of art, all with varying expressions; some with faces of horror, some with face who die with honor, ect...I'd dare say you're more of an artist than you are a soldier, Esdeath of Partas."

"Thank you for the compliment."

As the two conversed, the soldiers whispered amongst themselves, clearly disturbed, amazed, or seemingly confused by the two's conversation.

"Is it just me, or are the General and her right hand acting pretty chummy for comrades?"

"Well, they're both fucking terrifying."

"Good point." The other soldier nodded.

XXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, as Esdeath and Faust had begun preparations to return home, a certain group held a meeting, in a base that was hidden well away from the Empire. Inside this base, eight people were gathered together. Three of this individuals were well recognized by the Empire, as they were once apart of the military...those being former General Najenda, Bulat, and the assassin known as Akame.

They were the assassination company of the Revolutionary Army; Night Raid.

The rest, however, were unnoticed by the Empire and they intended to keep it that way. Out of these five, one was the newest addition to the group.

That addition was a young teen with messy brown hair, a single ahoge strand sticking out and curved to the side, bearing bright green eyes, and wearing a knit shirt over a buttoned one, plain slacks, and brown boots. Strapped over his back was a single sword.

His name as Tatsumi, the most recent addition to the feared assassins in the Capital.

It was a decision that he did not regret in the slightest, not after seeing first hand how twisted and corrupt the Empire and its residents truly are. He learned this the hard way...at the cost of the lives of his best friends, Sayo and Ieyasu.

Even now, the deaths of his friends lingered heavily in his heart...but he could not give into despair. Not yet.

During his time here, which wasn't very long, he also learned the incredible might of the Teigu, seeing firsthand their power. From the Demon Armor Incursio, wielded by Bulat, to the one-hit kill, the Cursed Blade Murasame.

Each member of Night Raid had a Teigu at their disposal...well, all except for him. But hopefully, that will soon change today. For right before his eyes was the Teigu they pilfered from their most recent kill, a serial killer named Zank the Beheader.

"Nicely done," Najenda praised him with an earnest smile. "Even though you lost to Zank, if what I've heard from Akame was any indication, you managed to hold yourself up."

The green-eyed teen looked away, abashed. "I still lost..."

"Of course you did!" Mine huffed. "You think you could win against someone with a Teigu without one of your own?!"

"Now now, Mine," Bulat chuckled. "Give the kid some credit. More importantly, Tatsumi, give the thing a try."

"W-wait, seriously?!" Tatsumi gawked, eyeing the Teigu in question. He recalled what little he knew about it; the power to read emotions, the power to deceive the naked eye, and even to see what laid underneath. "A-are you sure?!"

Najenda took a quick drag of her cigar before speaking again. "Well, a Teigu tends to be rather picky about its user, but we don't know if it's compatible until it's been used. So, give Spectator a whirl."

"Awesome!" He cheered in excitement. This was it! He was about to get his own Teigu! "It looks a bit weird, but let's do this!"

With that in mind, he quickly strapped it to his head...though as he did so, he paused. "Wait, how do I know if it works?"

"Spectator can read minds, right?" Lubbock asked. "Then try reading a mind."

Akame gave a nod. "I volunteer," she said. Tatsumi blinked. Well, given that she was one of the best assassins in the Empire, and by extension, Night Raid, she must have her thoughts tightly locked down. Might be a good test run!

With that in mind, he began to concentrate. "You..."

...

...

...

...

...

"...like meat!"

"Amazing! You're right!" The female assassin nodded with her usual blank expression.

"Are you sure you even needed to use that thing to figure that out?" Mine asked sarcastically. "Why not use one of the other functions?"

Tatsumi blinked. 'Oh yeah, there's one more function, right?' he wondered as he folded his arms. 'Okay...concentrate...just think of something...think of something...!'

Then he remembered one of the functions Zank used before. The one where Spectator makes illusions of what the target cherishes. He wanted to see what would happen if he used that on one of the others. He already knew what Akame's was given their previous interaction...maybe he can use this chance to mess with Mine.

As he thought that, a mischievous smile crossed his face. Oh, if only he could see what laid underneath that cold exterior that tormented him! As he thought that, Spectator's eye opened.

Then...he saw what might have possibly been heaven for any hot blooded male his age.

Rather then seeing Mine freak out about what she should be seeing, Tatsumi was the one freaking out. Why? Because he was seeing every female in the room in their underwear, literally.

'Wh-what is thiiiiiiis?!' He could honestly say he was surprised. He didn't know Spectator had THIS! "Oi," Mine said, oblivious to the fact that she was literally almost naked in his eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

"I-I can totally see-ugh!" Suddenly, a pain stung in his head. He winced, and cradled his skull. "M-my head..."

"Shit! It's rejecting him!" Lubbock exclaimed in alarm. He then moved in and took the Teigu off of his head before anything worse could happen.

As the weapon was removed from his head, so too did the sights of Akame, Mine, and Sheele in their underwear, now back in their full clothes. However, a lingering headache remained in Tatsumi's head. "Looks like it wasn't compatible after all," Najenda remarked. "I guess I should warn you. When a rejection happens, some can be pretty violent."

"L-like what?"

The woman paused, as if thinking of an example. One thought did cross her mind...and it made her cringe. "...there is one Teigu, a parasitic type, that replaces the user's heart. If it accepts the user, they can be a terror to behold, but if it rejects you...it literally rips you apart from the inside out."

Involuntarily, Lubbock shivered, knowing full well which Teigu Najenda was referring to.

"R-Really?!" Tatsumi stammered in horror. Why didn't anyone tell him about stuff like that in the first place?!

Najenda then produced a large book, and threw it to him. Tatsumi stumbled with it in his hands, nearly losing his grip and ending up playing a game of hot potato before having a firm grip. "That book contains a list of all known Teigu, however only a few number have been found and obtained by both the Revolutionary Army and the Empire."

"Heeeeh..." Tatsumi opened it up, giving it a brief skim before a thought came to him. "Say, Boss...what's the strongest Teigu?"

Instantly, two weapons came to mind to her. Weapons that she hoped she wouldn't see on the battlefield anytime soon. "The power of a Teigu depends on the user...but if I had to give my own personal opinion, there are two. Demon's Extract, which allows the user to control ice freely...and the Devil's Heart, which commands the power to obliterate all things."

"O-Obliterate...?" Tatsumi nearly dropped the book in his hands. Obliterate everything? "H-How is that even possible?"

"Lucifer is a Teigu made from three different Danger Beasts," Bulat stated. "One of them was even used to make Incursio, and the other two were just as dangerous as the beast that was skinned to make the damn armor." A chuckle escaped his lips. "I've had the honor of seeing the adopted son of the Great General in action...and do you know what my honest opinion is, Tatsumi?"

"W-what?"

"If all of us, even armed with some of the best Teigu, went up against him now...it would be a one-sided massacre, with us on the receiving end."

The brown haired teen now let the book fall from his now limp arms, his jaw completely slack. It was if his brain just short-circuited. He...was he hearing right?

"It's no joke, Tatsumi," Akame spoke seriously. "When two Teigu users meet, only one will come out of the fight alive. Esdeath, the one in possession of Demon's Extract, is powerful...but if you're talking pure, destructive power, then Faust is stronger than her by a large margin."

"Faust?"

"That's the name of the Great Generals adopted son." Najenda answered grimly. "While he doesn't have as much control over his Teigu compared to Esdeath, the power he possesses is another story."

Tatsumi couldn't help but gulp. From the sound of it, this Faust person must have some kind of history with Najenda. Was he...the one who took her eye? Still, to think a Teigu like that existed...!

...wait, would it be possible...?

"...say, Boss?" he called out quietly. "Teigu's are...pretty powerful, right?" The woman quirked an eyebrow, but nodded. "Then...is there one...that can bring even someone who's dead back to life?"

Bulat sighed. "Unfortunately, Tatsumi, if there was such a Teigu," he said sadly. "Then the First Emperor would still be alive." He paused for a moment, as if realizing something. "Well...there is a Teigu like that, but I wouldn't call it 'reviving' someone. It's more like making a corpse into a puppet."

Upon this statement, Akame balled her hands into tight fists.

"It is a fate I wouldn't wish upon anyone..." The former Soldier shook his head sadly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Maaan...its been a while since I've been at the old base, huh?" A white haired individual asked himself. He was a young man, around his late teens or early twenties with windswept hair wrapped up in a black headband. He had a couple piercings adorned on his left ear. His red eyes glowed with mirth, yet held a seriousness underneath it. He was garbed in a brown, striped tail coat with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of black trousers and black combat boots. Holstered at his side were two handguns and strapped to his back was a double saber.

"Sir, don't you think it's a bit risky?" one of his companions asked. "I mean, being out in the open like this..."

"Relax, man..." The man placated his escort. "You gotta loosen up. Besides...I don't sense anyone else around here."

"Other than our allies?"

The man nodded. "Exactly," he said. "Speaking of which...any word yet regarding THAT?"

"No...we still have no information as to where Lucius is," his comrade shook his head. "However, we're still searching as you've requested...I still don't think he's dead, either, sir. I mean, sure, he was pretty young, but I just can't imagine him being killed by a Danger Beast or whatever the hell tore that village apart."

"Damn right he wouldn't. My little brother is much tougher than that." The man, Crow, had absolute faith in his younger sibling. While he was still relatively inexperienced, he certainly had the skills necessary to take down any and all foes before him. After all, he wouldn't have brought him along to the Empire with his team of he knew he couldn't handle it. It was just poor luck that they got separated.

And now he was missing, and a new threat had appeared within the Empire. The adopted son of the Great General, in possession of the Devil's Heart Lucifer no less. The Devil, they called him...and if the reports are true, such names are not without reason.

They defined him to be one of the strongest the Empire has to offer. He was just below the Great General and the Strongest General in terms of absolute ferocity. His hands clenched upon remembering the sadistic smile on that woman's face

Esdeath was a cruel woman...and he'd be damned if he would lose to her.

"We're here." Crow was brought out of his musings, now realizing that he had arrived at the base.

It was just the same as he remembered...hidden inside the face of a massive cliff in the woods. What better way to hide a secret HQ?

"Hasn't changed at all," he smiled. "Wonder if anybody's in?"

Once he did, he found a blade pressed against his neck. Immediately, his friends and soldiers aimed their weapons. Meanwhile, Crow sighed.

"...really, Akame?"

He carefully grabbed the blade between his fingers and pushed it away from his throat. "With the way you pointed Murasame at me, if you had dug into my skin just a bit more, I'd be dead."

The stoic swordswoman stared at him before replying. "...You are late."

"Well, excuse me," Crow huffed. His men then relaxed, seeing that it was the black-haired assassin. "Anyway, came here to talk to Najenda about the upcoming operation. She in?"

"Yes." She finally lowered her sword. "She is with everyone else in the meeting room. Also, we have a new member in our ranks."

Crow raised an eyebrow. "A new member?" he inquired, curious. "Huh...he any good?"

"Somewhat," she shrugged. "Still wet behind the ears, but he has potential."

"I see..." He held a hand up to his chin in thought. "Well, I can't wait to meet him, then."

Akame gave a look of disinterest, as always, and then turned. "Follow me."

He nodded, and trailed behind her.

XXXXXXXXXX

The long trip home was...dull, for lack of better words for Faust.

Everything was just so quite. The return to the Empire was completely uneventful. There wasn't even an attack from the occasional Danger Beast.

Well, he couldn't quite say it was uneventful. The childish banter between two of the immature members of the Three Beasts commanded by Esdeath was certainly amusing.

They way they conversed and argued, it was like they were family rather than simply a unit under her command.

Colonel Liver, however, was absent, instead conversing with his superior. Meanwhile, Faust hung back, still writing in his little notebook.

He was stringing words together based on the sights he has seen during their journey, but they were lacking in artistic flair.

"What are you writing, Lieutenant?" a soldier asked curiously. "Another one of your sonets?"

"Yes. Although, I am not finding as much inspiration for it as I would've liked." Faust answered.

"Why do you write that stuff anyway?" the soldier inquired. "Just curious is all."

"...it is something my father taught me long ago. He told me that despite the horrors of the world, there can be beauty found in our surroundings. And one way to express the beauty you see is through your own words. That and he also taught me that writing out pieces like this is a good practice for concentration and maintaining a calm mind."

"Huh," the soldier said, clearly not expecting that. "Never thought of it like that. The Great General truly is wise."

Faust smiled thinly. "That's what most people tend to think of him...ah, pardon. I never learned your name."

The soldier smiled. It was only now that Faust actually looked at the man. No, that wasn't right...the soldier was around the same age as him, maybe a bit older. Eighteen or nineteen or so, with dark silver hair, messy and unkempt, and bright green eyes. "Silas," the soldier introduced himself, extending a hand. "Call me Silas."

"It is nice to meet you, solider." Faust grasped the hand and gave it a firm shake.

XXXXXXXXXX

Budo was infuriated.

No, that wasn't quite the correct word. He was livid. The cause? The answer was simple: he was staring right at it, which was not two feet away from him, and on the other side of the child who had succeeded his father at the time of his passing.

To say that the Prime Minister disgusted him would be an understatement. He absolutely LOATHED the man with every fiber of his being. It is all because of him that the Empire has become so twisted as it is today.

And it was because of him that Makoto had been made Emperor, when he was still only a child. A child that he is able to manipulate and trick for his own gain.

'Were it not for my own station and loyalty to His Majesty, I would have joined that band of rebels,' Budo thought bitterly. He both hated the Revolutionary Army, and at the same time, respected them. He respected their willingness to go against this corruption that has stained their once beloved capital, their determination to change it, and he hated how they would use such underhanded means. True, all is fair in love and war, but he still could not truly agree with such destructive methods. Inciting chaos would beget only more chaos, and the aftermath would no doubt be a worse one. Time may lead to recovery, but the damage would be severe. It was best to minimize the damage and use it to one's advantage.

It was why he took in Faust, raised him as if he were his own son, and gave him the name he has now.

He hoped that when the time came, they would both be able to bring order back to the Empire and root out the corruption and erase it.

"Your Majesty, please listen!" the poor bastard who tried to talk reason to Makoto begged. "You are being deceived!"

Budo sighed. The fool had barged in, thinking he could try and sway Makoto into believing that Honest was a monster, a creature that was using him for personal gain. He was right...but Honest had hooked too deep for the tiny Emperor to truly listen to others.

He pitied the boy. He has become nothing more than a puppet whose strings are pulled by a monster in human flesh.

Budo wanted nothing more than to reduce that fatass to nothing but a pile of burnt skin and bones, but he couldn't. It wasn't the right time. The little Emperor first must be convinced...but given the situation, that would take a long time.

For now...all he could do was watch as the poor bastard was about to be sentenced to death.

His words fell on deaf ears as the Minister himself assured the young boy that the man's crimes were true and were a threat to the Empire's 'prosperity'. As such, Makoto ordered the guards to take him away and execute him, but not before the disgusting fatass assuring the poor soul that his wife will be 'well taken care of'.

He gave a troubled sigh. If not for his rage for the chaos they created, he would have surely sided with Najenda on that day and left for the Revolutionary Army.

For now, all he could do is tolerate these disgusting displays of 'justice'. One day...everything will be changed.

XXXXXXXXXX

Crow's first opinion of Tatsumi was, well, average, as one could have expected. The boy hardly looked outstanding. In fact, one could have easily mistaken him for a grunt. However, that being said, he had always learned that, when one stares into another's eyes, you find yourself staring back at the person they can become. The person they are destined to be.

When he stared into Tatsumi, he couldn't help but laugh, much to everyone's confusion.

"Wh-what's so funny?" The brunette had to ask from this weird behavior.

"Hehe...sorry about that. I'm just imagining how far you will go after joining us." He then extended a hand. "My name is Crow Armbrust. Nice to meet ya."

Tatsumi seemed a bit surprised by the action, but nodded and clasped hands with him.

"Same here..."

"Still, this is a surprise," Najenda remarked with a grateful smile. "So what brings you here, Armbrust?"

"What? Is it wrong for a guy to swing by unannounced and see how his team is doing?" He grinned.

"It's simply odd is all."

"Well, I just got back from an assignment from HQ, so now I'm back to help you guys out again."

Lubbock's eyes widened before a smile broke out across his face. "Seriously?! Aw yeah, the Crow from Hell is back in action!"

"Crow...from Hell?" Tatsumi blinked. "Is that, like, some sort of nickname?"

"Yep~" Leone grinned cheekily. "They call him that because of how many targets he's killed over the years."

Bulat chuckled. "That, and let's just say he brings new meaning to the phrase, 'payback is a bitch.' Have to admit, it's reassuring that he's here on our side."

"Well, I hope to be of use at least," Crow smirked. "Anyway, any new info on the Empire whatsoever?"

"Yes..." Najenda answered. "Just the other night, we took out the serial killer Zank the Beheader and retrieved his Teigu."

"Zank, eh? About time," Crow huffed. "So, was Tatsu compatible?"

Tatsumi blinked. "T-Tatsu?"

"Sadly, no," Najenda shook her head. "Actually, we had just finished a lecture on Teigu. On the subject of that, what did you learn while you were working under Budo?"

Crow sighed, scratching his head. "Not much...unfortunately, the Great General isn't as easy to fool, just like I expected. He made sure that only those he explicitly trusts are anywhere near the Teigu Vaults, the Throne Room, the Emperor's Quarters, as well as posting several guards in those areas. Plus, I've learned that, once the Ice Empress makes her triumphant return, Budo will authorize her to establish a new unit."

The group tensed at this. A new unit? Head by Esdeath? That...did not sound good. "Do you know what this unit will be?"

"Yep...the Night Raid of the Empire," Crow answered grimly. "The Jaegers...and every member is a Teigu-user."

The atmosphere in the room immediately became heavy. A group consisting entirely of Teigu Users...this was not a good sign.

"...do you know who is apart of this group?"

"Only three, and one potential candidate," Crow answered. "Doctor Stylish, a doctor and professor in possession of the Teigu Perfector, Wave, a navy soldier who possesses Grand Chariot, and Kurome, a skilled assassin who wields Yatsufusa. The potential candidate is a girl called Seryu Ubiquitous, who uses Hekatonkheires."

Akame's eyes widened upon hearing the name of Kurome, though she didn't show it.

"Additionally, it's likely that Faust will be a member as well, given that he's worked with Esdeath on several occasions, even being her second-in-command in the most recent excursions."

The group grew even more anxious. Not only a Teigu User group led by the Strongest General, but one where the Devil of the Empire is a part of as well? Things just went from bad to worse.

"...jesus christ that's a lot," Leone said, sweat pouring down her face. "And we've got to face monsters like that?!"

Mine grumbled. "Please, the only ones we've got to worry about are Esdeath and Faust, right?"

"Never underestimate your foes, pinky," Crow chastised her. "Otherwise, you'll wind up in an early grave." The girl opened her mouth to speak, but the glare he leveled at her silenced anything that would have emerged from her throat. "And don't you dare tell me otherwise."

The young sniper closed her mouth. While she wouldn't admit it...she found Crow to be intimidating despite his casual demeanor. She had witnessed first hand what he was capable from an earlier assignment.

Even to this day...she couldn't believe it was possibly to actually LIQUIFY a human being with only water.

"...this is good information," Najenda nodded with a smile, despite the severity of the situation. "We'll be able to put this into use. Alright, I suppose that's enough excitement for one day." She then clapped her hands. "Dismissed!"

XXXXXXXXXX

It had been the middle of the evening when Faust had awoken to the ever usual sound of stillness.

He was greeted with the darkness of his tent as he gazed to the ceiling. He slowly turned his head and peered out through the flap of his tent, gazing intently at the waxing moon.

"...another dreamless dream," he muttered. "Another still night with only silence to greet me. When will my emptiness be null and void? When will my life be full and sadness devoid?"

He paused in his musings. He boy moved over to the pile next to him, turned on the lamp, and grabbed his notebook and pen. He flipped it open and immediately went to jot down his previous thoughts.

He always wrote down whatever came to his mind, be it little or big. Perhaps it was a way to record everything he missed in life, or to ensure that even if he forgot a memory, his notebook would have recorded it for him...though so far, only his poems, sonnets, and misadventures with Esdeath had been recorded.

Of course, he had memories from when he was in training years ago, even when he met with the special assassination groups that consisted of kids around his age. But he didn't think anything noteworthy of those times back then.

Well...that wasn't quite true. There was someone who caught his interest. He wasn't sure why he did it. but he had drawn a sketch of her in his notebook, despite her face forever burned in her mind.

Smooth skin, hair as black as raven feathers, and cold red eyes, colored like the liquid that flowed in the veins of all living humans and animals.

She was the girl he met back then with the Assassination Squad. She was a remarkably skilled swordswoman with highly honed instinct. Her name was Akame...

How long has it been now? He knew that she had defected, as had Najenda and Lubbock.

It was a pity. He really missed the duo that found him all those years ago. However, he respected their decision, given the current state of the Empire. Ever since his father took him in, he has been taught how corrupted and twisted the Empire had become from the control of the parasite named Honest.

The Revolutionary Army had resisted that corruption, and sought to change it...though Budo had never liked their way. Assassinations were one thing, as it was the easiest way to eliminate targets, but they also used other means. He found them useful, though his adopted father thought differently. He thought such actions would only invite chaos, and were not trying to minimize the damage, and that the aftermath of such actions would be disastrous.

"Hm, if not for that fact, Father would have joined them," he mused, smiling somewhat. "If memory serves, the assassination group, Night Raid, is also apart of the Revolutionary Army...they would be an interesting group to meet."

He has known about Night Raid for quite a while now. Who hasn't? Given the number of assassinations they committed right here in the capital, and how three of their numbers were posted on wanted posters in the town square.

Bulat, the man who had slain over a hundred man, and according to Liver, a proud subordinate of his.

Najenda, the one who found him and gave him the opportunity to find the place he called home.

Akame, the mysterious girl who had cut down any and all foes in her path.

"I wonder...will I find the answer I'm seeking if I face them in battle?" Faust wondered, gently placing his hand over the scar on his chest, where Lucifer had dug into and replaced his old heart. "Will I find the enlightenment I'm seeking if I cross blades with these assassins?"

His Teigu beat rhythmically within his ribcage, as if responding to his question.

A smile touched his lips. "So even you wish to find an answer, Lucifer," he chuckled. "Well...let us hope that we may find an answer within those who lurk in darkness."

XXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere, far away from the Capital...or rather, from the Empire, far out to the East, there was a country hidden away from the prying eyes of the corrupt. No one knew about this country. Perhaps it was the eternal darkness that surrounded it, preventing any from gazing upon it. Perhaps it was the rocky mountain ranges that prevented any from traveling anywhere close to it. Regardless of the fact, this place remained forever out of sight, and out of reach.

It was also here in this country that a meeting was held. The room was large and circular, banners hanging from the dark purple walls. Each banner had a different insignia. One held a cross, slashed in half by a sword. Another was an orb, held by armored hands. The third was a staff with a skull at the top. The fourth was a shield, surrounded by various weapons. In the center of the room was a table, and surrounding that table were four individuals.

The first was a man with short brown hair and red eyes. He wears a long white trench coat, gloves and boots. He also wears white pants. All of his attire and even his face are stained red with blood. His face held a sickening mad grin, told with forlorn and despair while his eyes burned with madness, creating a contradiction. The second was an armored individual, wreathed in brilliant blue flames. The third was a woman garbed in a black cloak, a strange doll held in her arms. The fourth was...and odd being. He was a large centaur with short white hair and brown eyes. He wears a white toga with decorative medals near his shoulders and a green helmet with horse ears and a long red mane. He has white markings on his face. He has a brown horse body with green and copper armor from the waist down.

They were all different individuals, united as comrades for a single purpose. Revenge.

The grand doors of the room slowly swung open, and four more figures entered the room. One was a fairly tall young man with a hardened features and carried himself like swordsman. His hair was long, wild, and black with white highlights on the ends. His green eyes gleamed with determination. He was clad in a long, black jacket with the symbol of a bird in the center. The jacket had silver lined cuffs, a red back, and a red collar. He wore black pants with a black belt, black shoes, and dark red gloves. A fencing sword was strapped to his waist.

The second was a middle aged man with short, brown hair with a prominent chin curtain and blue eyes. He stood a good head taller than the boy. He was garbed in a long black robe with a long, dark purple cape with a black exterior. He has a red and gold tippet, with a red cloth on his chest emblazoned with the same insignia on the boy's chest. In his hands was a Bishop's staff.

The third person was female. She had long, white hair with pink highlights on the ends with two thrifts sticking out. She wore a black bodysuit that highlighted her well-developed figure with thigh-high black boots and black gloves. She had a peach-colored complexion, and her eyes shone of mirth. On her back was a butterfly wing-like ornament.

"Sorry we're late," the white-haired woman apologized. "We had matters to attend to. Has the meeting begun?"

"No!" the doll in the cloaked woman's arms said, bouncing up happily. "We were just about to start!"

The swordsman smirked. "Well, least we're on time," he said before turning to the fourth individual. "Sorry for taking up your time, Your Majesty."

The figure they faced was a young man, somewhere between his mid to late twenties. He had short silver-tan hair, a beard, and blue eyes. He was garbed in a long black coat with gold accents and a white dress shirt with a white cravat. He wore black suspenders and thigh-high black boots. His right arm was black and plated, displaying that it was a prosthetic. A black mask was worn over his eyes and nose, partially obscuring his face. "It is quite alright, Janne."

"Still, how troublesome," the bearded man said with exasperation. "It was one thing to deal with zealots, but another entirely to deal with over religious ones."

"Heh, got that right, Nikolai," Janne nodded. "Since His Majesty's here, why not start this meeting?"

The masked man nodded. "Indeed. Geist, if you would do the honors."

The bloodied man chuckled, bowing his head.

"But of course, my liege." He stood, and everyone else followed in kind. "All hail his majesty. Emperor Kaiser Oblivion!"

The others soon followed the action, and repeated.

"All hail his majesty!"

"All hail his majesty!"

"All hail his majesty!"

"All hail his majesty!"

"All hail his majesty!"

"All hail his majesty!"

"All hail his majesty!

"All hail his majesty!"

The man, Kaiser Oblivion smiled. He strode past his loyal servants, and placed himself upon the throne at the far end of the room. "Then let us begin," he demanded of them. "It is almost time for the promised hour of reckoning, thus we must prepare for it." His eyes hardened, and held up a fist. "Thus, let us begin...for the day when the Empire-no...when this world is reduced to naught but ash."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Kill Order...TERMINATED**

 **Next Time: Kill-Order 2 - A Devil returns Home**


End file.
